A recent study conducted by the Polytechnic University of Milan in collaboration with our researchers and published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine under the title “ The Spine Lengthens During Walking in Healthy Participants, with Age-Related Changes in Kinematic Parameters”, has confirmed a phenomenon previously observed; during walking, the spine lengthens compared to static standing posture.

The study involved a group of 45 healthy individuals divided into different age groups to analyse how the phenomenon varies over a lifetime. Using an advanced three-dimensional measurement system, the researchers assessed spinal height variations during walking and static standing. The results showed that the spine lengthens significantly during walking, but the extent of this elongation decreases with age due to age-related degeneration.

Stefano Negrini, Scientific Director of ISICO and the study’s lead author, explained:
“Why does the spine lengthen upwards during walking compared to standing still? The study was not designed to answer this question, but we observed a reduction in sagittal plane spinal curves. The most likely hypothesis is that the contraction of muscles, necessary to stabilise the spine—preventing paradoxical movements that would compromise lower limb mobility and promoting energy-efficient gait—also contributes to elongation. Further studies will be needed to confirm this hypothesis, but what is certain is that to appear taller, all you need to do is start moving!”

This research represents a significant step forward in understanding spinal biomechanics, demonstrating how movement influences spinal physiology and paving the way for further studies on the impact of ageing on this natural phenomenon.